IT News
Imphal, Aug 12:
A one-day advocacy meeting on the Manipur State Policy for Children, 2020, was held on Monday, August 12, 2024, at the conference hall of Wide Angle. The event, organized by Wide Angle in collaboration with CRY (Child Rights & You), brought together a range of stakeholders including members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), NGOs, Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), District Child Protection Units (DCPU), and Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPU).
Montu Ahanthem, Secretary of Wide Angle and a former member of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights, delivered the keynote address. He outlined that the policy, first drafted in 2016, is based on a three-tiered protective framework for children. This framework includes ameliorative and restorative measures, strengthening systems and services, and promoting mental health and psychosocial recovery.
The meeting aimed to discuss and gather opinions on the immediate implementation of the Manipur State Policy for Children 2020, which was gazetted for public opinion on November 12, 2020, but has since been pending Cabinet clearance.
Keisham Pradipkumar, Chairperson of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights, chaired the function as the chief guest. He revealed that the MCPCR had submitted a memorandum to the Hon’ble Governor of Manipur on July 25, 2024, urging the enactment of the policy, which remains pending without a Cabinet decision.
S. Sharat Kumar Sharma, Advisor of Wide Angle and former Chairperson of MCPCR, presided over the function as the president. Thiyam Rajkeshor, Advocate at the High Court of Manipur and former Chairperson of CWC Imphal West, provided an analytical view on the urgent need for the policy.
Jenita Rajkumari, Project Coordinator of CRY, welcomed the participants and sought valuable input from stakeholders to advance the policy toward successful enactment. The meeting underscored the critical need for timely action to address child welfare issues in Manipur.
